UMASS/AMHERST 


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LIBRARY 


OF  THE 


MASSACHUSETTS 

AGRICULTURAL 

COLLEGE 


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Protection  of  the  Forests  of  the 
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The  necessity  for  a  law  nmre  compreliensive  than  can  now  be 
found  upon  the  Statute  Books  of  Massacliusetts  for  the  protection 
of  forests  against  fire,  has  long  been  felt  by  all  persons  interested 
in  forest  property.  The  damage  inflicted  every  year  by  forest 
fires  in  this  Mate  is  very  large.  The  damage  is  not  confined  to 
the  actual  destruction  of  trees.  Forest  fires  destroy  the  forest, 
the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  consequently  its  capacity  to  reproduce 
the  forest  gn-wtli  tlius  desti-oyed.  The  gradual  deterioration  in  the 
composition  of  the  forest,  the  result  of  fire,  represents  a  more 
permanent  and  serious  loss  to  the  State  than  the  destruction  of  a 
single  forest  crop.  The  frequent  occurrence  of  forest  fires 
destroys  confidence  in  the  value  of  forest  property.  A  community 
in  which  no  real  effort  is  made  to  prevent  or  control  forest  fires, 
has  little  encouragement  to  improve  or  extend  its  forests.  The 
fear  of  forest  fires  makes  investments  in  forest  property  insecure 
and  undesirable  ;  it  prevents  forest  planting,  and  causes  the 
premature  cutting  of  immature  forests.  Any  attempt  to  improve 
•the  forests  of  the  State  is  useless  until  they  can  be  secured  greater 
immunity  from  fire. 

The  law  already  sufficiently  provides  for  the  protection  of  the 
forest  against  fires  originating  in  malice  and  wanton  recklessitess, 
by  the  following  sections  :  \ 

\ 


PuiiLIC    StATUTKS.  ClIAI'TER    203. 

Skption  5.  Whoever  willfully  and  maliciously  burns  or  otherwise 
destroys  or  injures  a  pile  or  parcel  of  wood  *  *  *  or  any  standin;?  tree 
*  *  *  of  another  shall  he  punished  by  imprisonment  in  the  State  prison 
not  exceeding  five  years,  or  by  fine  not  exceeding  five  hundred  dollars 
and  imprisonment  in  the  jail  not  exceeding  one  year. 

1882.     CHArTKK  163. 
Section  1.     Whoever  wantonly  and  recklessly  sets  fire  to  any  mate- 
rials which  causes  the  destruction  or  injury  of  any  growing  or  standing 
wood  of  another  shall  be  punished  by  fine  not  exceeding  one  hundred 
dollars,  or  by  imprisonment  in  jail  not  exceeding  six  months. 

Forest  fires  rarely  originate  in  malice  but  in  carelessness,  and 
f 
provision    is    needed  for  the  prevention  and  punishment  of  sucli 

carelessness. 

A  Committee  acting  under  authority  from  the  Massachusetts 
Horticultural  Society,  and  after  having  heard  the  opinion  of  many 
persons  interested  in  the  matter,  have  determined  to  present  the 
accompanying  bill  for  legislative  action. 

We  invite  the  co-operation  of  all  interested  in  the  agricultural 
prosperity  of  Massachusetts  in  securing  its  passage. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  legislation  in  advance  of  public 
sentiment  cannot  accomplish  any  very  marked  results,  and  unless 
the  commercial  and  climatic  value  of  the  forest  to  the  community 
is  appreciated,  the  mere  passage  of  a  law  will  not  greatly 
decrease  the  number  of  fires.  The  forest  will  only  find  perfect 
])rotection  in  general  appreciation. 

CHARLES    S.    SARGENT, 

Chairman. 

FlJANXIS    H.    ArPLETON, 

Secretary  of  Committee. 
BOSTON,  13th  FEunuARY,   188G. 


